The USS Pueblo, a naval intelligence vessel, was captured by North Korean forces on January 23, 1968, in a highly provocative action that escalated tensions in the Cold War. The ship was conducting surveillance operations in international waters near the coast of North Korea when it was intercepted. Following the capture, the crew was subjected to both physical and psychological hardships, with the North Korean government using them for propaganda purposes. During their eleven months of captivity, the sailors were frequently paraded in front of cameras and coerced into making false confessions of espionage. The incident led to significant diplomatic strife, with the U.S. government providing a limited response under the Johnson administration, primarily focusing on negotiations for the crew's release.Negotiations for the release of the personnel were complex and protracted, involving both public and back-channel communications between the U.S. and North Korean leaders. The impasse was broken with a formal apology from the U.S. government, although Washington maintained that the Pueblo had been operating in accordance with international law. After eleven months, on December 23, the sailors were finally released at the Korean Demilitarized Zone, bringing an end to their captivity and a sense of relief to their families and the nation. The return of the sailors was celebrated in the U.S., but the Pueblo's capture and the subsequent events had long-lasting implications for U.S.-North Korea relations.